April 23, 2009

Evan Nichelson (right) holds Vancleave's Chad McCreary, in the second inning in Game 1.

Maroon Tide nips Vancleave 1-0 in 11 innings

by Carey Meitzler

Picayune--  Evan Nichelson's fielders choice grounder scored Hunter Gill from third base with the winning run in the bottom

of the 11th inning to propel Picayune to a 1-0 win over Vancleave in Game 1 of the best of three series.

Vancleave's Anthony Izzio and Picayune's Jared Bales each pitched brilliantly for their teams and neither pitcher figured in the

decision.  Izzio, who entered the game with a mind-boggling 0.38 earned-run-average, worked out of numerous jams in

pitching ten complete innings.  Izzio, like Bales, threw 133 pitches, allowed 5 hits, struck out 8 batters, and walked just one.

Bales was lifted in the top of the 11th with two outs and the bases loaded.  Sophomore reliever Jonathan Hickman induced

a ground ball to get out of the inning.   Sean Hodges replaced Izzio in the bottom of the 11th. 

All photos by Jill Lee

Braxton Lee makes a sliding grab of a liner against Vancleave.

Jay Dedeaux heads to the dugout as courtesy runner Eric Smith (24) takes over at first.

After Hodges struck out leadoff hitter Bryce Ladner, Hunter Gill singled to right field and moved all the way to third when the

ball took a bad bounce and got by the right fielder and rolled to the wall in the right field corner.   Bales, reinserted into the

lineup for Hickman, was intentionally walked.  Evan Nichelson hit a hard, two hop grounder to second base for what might

have been a possible double play, but the throw from the second baseman came to home plate and Gill was safe just beating

the tag of the Bulldog's catcher Zac Haarala.

Bales allowed 7 hits, struck out 4 batters, and walked two.

Picayune travels to Vancleave on Friday for Game 2 with the first pitch scheduled for 6:00pm.

Hunter Gill takes a lead at first base against Vancleave's Anthony Izzio.

Jake Riser makes a catch in left field early in the game against Vancleave.